MISS RAYNER’S CAT. 9

again, “if Miss Rayner had asked me if I had
seen the cat I should have‘had to tell her. But
as she didn’t we can just keep it a secret.”

Harry was silent and seemed a little puzzled,
but his sister was so much older than he, and
was always so kind to him, that he thought
everything she did must be right.

“JT saw that board when we went in,” he said
at last, “but I couldn’t read it. Don’t let’s go
there any more.”

“Very well,” she replied, and for the rest of
the way they busied themselves in gathering
late wild-flowers to take home to their mother.

But, though Nellie seemed to forget what
they had been talking about, she was really
wondering if there was no way in which she
could get the book Miss Rayner had promised.
It seemed such a pity not to have it, just be-
cause that particular wood where she and
Harry had been yesterday was kept private
by the owners.

She was very silent for the rest of that day,
turning it over and over. All her little home
duties of helping her mother to get ready the
tea and supper she set about in a sleepy way,
thinking of something else all the time, until